William clark wood



' (No Model.)

W. O. WOOD. GIRDER RAIL.

No. 443,470. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

Fgj

I UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

ILLIAM CLARK lVOOD, OFBROOKLYN, NENV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LEYVIS & FOWLER GIRDER-RAIL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GlRDER-RAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,470, dated December 23, 1890'.

Original application filed November 1, 1889, Serial No. 328,906. Divided and this application filed October 6, 1890. Serial No. 367,233. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM CLARK Woon, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Girder-Rails, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of what are now known as box girder-rails for streetrailways.

In my specification and drawings forming part of United States Letters Patent No. 483,923, dated August 5, 1890, I set forth such rails having normally-vertical webs, which are drawn into contact with the converging sides of downwardly-tapering seat portions on the chairs to produce a dovetailing effect. I have discovered that the downwardly wedging clamp-fastenings set forth in the same speeification and drawings are sufficient alone to fasten down the rails upon their chairs; and I now make my box-rails with normally-flaring webs, which are adapted to be and are in practice sprung inward by said clamp-fastenings, so as to be vertical when the rails are fastened, as set forth in my specification and drawings, forming part of my application for patent filed November 1, 1889, Serial No. 328,906.

My present invention is a division of the improvement in girder-rails and their fastenings set forth in said application, Serial No. 328,906 5 and it consists in box girder-rails having such normally-flaring webs adapted to be sprung into vertical planes in the act of fastening down the rails.

The distinctive objects and effects of this invention are, first, to facilitate rolling the rails, so as to perfectly shape and harden the flanged webs in the rolls, which may consequently act on the interior of the rail up to and including the final pass; secondly, to facilitate laying and taking up the rails, the space between the flaring webs clearing the sides of interweb seat portions on the chairs until the rail is fully lowered, or as soon as it is started in lifting it, and, thirdly, to utilize the maximum resistance of the rail to deflection by vertical strain, as by a load midway between two chairs, the vertical webs serving to stiffen the rails to a materially greater extent than webs that are sprung inward out of plumb when fastened.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of these drawings represents an end view of a box girder-rail having a groovetread, showing its webs in their respective positions by full and dotted lines; and Fig. 2 is a like view of a side-bearing girder-rail, illustrating the same invention.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Each of the rails consists of a top, (marked in the respective figures t and t2) depending elastic webs 10, extending continuously along the respective edges of the top and integral therewith, and outwardly-projecting lateral flanges f on the respective webs, the latter being integral with the webs, and preferably provided at top with wedging-inclines z',s0 as to coact with the peculiar clamp-fastenings set forth in said previous specifications, and also preferablycontinuous from end to end of the rail, so as to distribute the clamping strainfrom chair to chair. The improved rails may, however, be clamped upon suitable chairs by any approved fastenings. Normally the rail-webs w flare downwardly, as shown in full lines in the respective figures. lVhen clamped, they assume the vertical positions in which they are shown by dotted lines in the respective figures. I thus accomplish the several beneficial effects hereinbefore set forth without any additional expense in the production of the rails, and a sufficient spring of the webs is provided for by a flare so slight that it is practically impossible for the elastic webs to become set parallel with each other or to lose their resiliency even in part. At the same time a distinct flare is absolutely essential to the rolling of the webs in the manner aforesaid, and also to the facilitation of the laying and removal of the rails, as above set forth. It is also essential to securing the aforesaid advantages of vertical webs, and at the same time the self-tightening and nut or key looking eifects set forth in said previous specification, forming part of: said application, st,

rial No. 323,906.

I have shown rails each of the webs of which is sprung inward one-eighth of an inch in making them plumb at the fastening operation. This is considered sutlicient,lu1t may be increased, or slightly decreased, perhaps, without materially changing the result.

Having thus described the said girder-rails,

being adapted to be sprung inward to vertical 15 JL-messubstantiallyashereinbefore specified. 2. A girder-rail having atop of an approved section, down weirdly-flaring elastic webs along I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification 1. A girder-rail having atop of an approved section and a depending elastic web along each edgqsuch webs flaring downwardly and 

